


Giving Life Anew

by Merfilly



Series: Safehaven [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Background Relationships, Gen, Padmé Amidala Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 16:01:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7898935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vader plays his cards out... and opens the door for Ahsoka to finally try and save Padmé.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Giving Life Anew

No one, least of all Rex, was surprised that as soon as Shaak cleared them both as free of undue influence, that Ahsoka immersed herself in teaching the twins and Roo Roo. He could see the stress eating at her, as they waited for the effects of their visit to Vader to be known. They had taken a very roundabout way back to Naboo, aboard other freighters that were not the one they had come in on originally. That seemed to have paid off; no new Imperial spies had been detected on the surface.

"Were you there for her speaking with him?" Shaak had asked before searching his mind. She had not been pleased to learn Ahsoka had been alone with the Sith.

"I'd say she handled him in her particular fashion," Rex had reassured her.

Now, watching the twins learn basic lightsaber construction techniques, he wondered if it might have been harder than his Commander, his partner, had been prepared for. Roo Roo was correcting the twins alongside Ahsoka, as the senior apprentice, and Rex had a feeling there would be a trip to a crystal-bearing planet fairly soon. He knew, from late-night talks, that Ahsoka's trips to gather kyber crystals always ended in visions for her.

He didn't know if they would help her find her balance, or leave her even more tense.

+++

Two weeks after their return from the meeting, Echo had news for them.

"Three Grand Admirals were assassinated since you went on your mission," Echo briefed them all. "An attempt was made on two others, and Vader narrowly escaped one as well."

Shaak's eyes narrowed at that. "Not the outcome we were expecting, I think."

Ahsoka considered, turning it over in her mind. "No, I think it is exactly what he would come up with. Eliminate some of the Emperor's support, but do it in such a way that he is blameless. I do feel bad for the rebellious elements; this is about to get vicious on them. But I think it is a prelude to the real thrust."

"Possibly make the Emperor call his dog to heel, putting him closer to the ability to attack?" Rex asked, following her logic.

Ahsoka nodded. "Echo, is Tarkin on the list of dead?" She did keep her voice level; she had let go of that anger some time ago.

"Yes." Echo eyed her as if she had just used more of her Jedi Mind Tricks.

"Then I believe I am correct in my read; we know Tarkin is the Emperor's most powerful ally among the fleet." Ahsoka nodded. "We wait."

"As always," Fives grumbled.

"Commander, if I may?" Rex said, drawing attention. "Perhaps we could lend a little more pressure on the situation, because, as you said, the rebels are going to bear the brunt of this. Perhaps a swift strike, somewhere a little out of the way, the other side of the galaxy?"

Every single Torrent member looked alert at that suggestion, and Ahsoka wanted to either kiss her Captain or kick him. She considered, then touched Shaak's mind, to learn what the master thought.

//It would be easier on them, even if they have casualties, to finally strike their own blow,// Shaak told her. //I will go with them, so the children do not lack for your attention.//

"Echo, find a target. Captain, you will be going with Master Ti, while I remain here to safeguard our charges." Ahsoka didn't like shaking the command structure like that, but trusted Shaak to let Rex be the leader, and do what a Jedi did best — keep the _Vod'e_ safe. "Plan for a long trip back, Captain."

"Yes sir!"

+++

Ahsoka looked up as Luke came in, looking very tired and worried. She couldn't blame him; they'd never not had all of their uncles there to keep them company, telling them stories, and generally being very clan-oriented with the children of their beloved General. Not a one of the men was unaware of the truth behind Darth Vader, as much as any of them knew it, but they still told stories of Anakin Skywalker to the Naberrie twins.

"What is it, little one?" she asked him, sliding down onto her butt to open her arms and let him climb into her lap. 

"Bad dreams."

Ahsoka's breath caught, before she placed her forehead to his, nudging at their bond. "Show me?"

Luke's mind opened to hers, showing fractured glimpses of fighting. She had to use all of her discipline to sort them out, realizing with some fear that he was seeing Darth Vader, and those small guards that had been with him, engaged in battle. Lightning was crashing into them, and that told her who the foe was.

How had Luke become party to such visions? Was it now? The future?

She drew back from the bond, gently cupping his head to her chest as she began weaving a shield around him and herself. As she did, she began to sing softly, one of the few songs she remembered from her own people, as a lullaby. Between the two, Luke settled in her arms, falling slowly into sleep.

She did not move more than to curl with him, keeping him close, and her eyes slipping shut. If Vader had attacked the Emperor, or would soon, she would know in due time. Until then, she could only keep Padmé's child safe from the fear of it. She wound up shifting not much later, as Leia came and wormed into the cuddle pile, needing her brother and teacher both, and that suited Ahsoka just fine.

+++

Tup was the only severe injury that the men had taken, and Kix was tied up with taking care of him when the communication came in. The team had only just come back, having very neatly managed to blow an Imperial Security facility open so the prisoners could arm themselves and steal the ships that were available.

It was satisfying to know they could strike out and perform as the elite team they all knew themselves to be.

Now, however, Ahsoka was nervous as she moved away from the medical wing, finding a quiet place to answer the insistent comm.

"Yes?"

The mechanized breathing sounded harsher than in person, or maybe more labored. "Tano. The link should be broken. Do what is needed. I will expect communication within the week."

"Of course."

Ahsoka killed the transmission, prayed Echo's tinkering had blocked it from being traced, and then went to find said member of her family. "Echo, monitor all transmissions you can. I think it just happened."

She didn't need to say what it was, and Echo left off from polishing his armor to go activate his communication nest, ready to help his commander know what she needed. That left her free to go back to medical, waiting until Kix had finished fussing over Tup's bandages and appetite.

"Commander?" he asked, knowing the set of her lekku as being 'work' now, not the woman that was their sister at all other times.

"We're going to try and bring her back again. So go eat, rest if you need to, and tell me when you're ready."

"Better plan. Come with me, eat with me, and we'll return together," Kix countered. "You'll need all the calories you can get If I am right on what's going to happen next."

She gave him a smile, relaxing down from the military stiffness, and linked her arm in his. "Alright. You're my date to make sure I eat enough, then." 

Kix smiled at that, covering her hand on his arm to escort her to one of the Gungan eateries they enjoyed.

+++

Over dinner, Ahsoka learned Fives and Shaak had taken everyone but Kix, Echo, and Tup 'hunting', as they called the fishing of the deeps. Even the children had gone, as Roo Roo's kinfast had joined in. Ahsoka wouldn't have to worry about the twins being underfoot while she worked on healing the damage in their mother. Echo must have dropped word to them, and she praised him in her mind for such quick thinking.

When the pair walked back to medical, it was with an air of hope and resolve. As they had done so many times before, the stasis pod was moved to a horizontal position, and Kix hooked up all of the diagnostic equipment. The nutrient solution was nearby to start as soon as Padmé's vitals were showing signs of life. Ahsoka removed her fingerless gloves, preferring bare skin contact for her part. 

They began as they had before, with Ahsoka sinking into the healing that she had painstakingly learned just for this reason. Her hands settled on Padmé's cold face and chest, her eyes unfocused as she reached for her pool of energy on one hand, and the dangerously low one within her friend.

Jedi healing often proscribed using one's own energy to do this, but Ahsoka's teacher had irritably told her that was nonsense. Just because the Jedi thought it was wrong to change fate by adding energy to someone who was possibly dying was no reason for her to ever hold back. For all that Ahsoka was a Knight of the nearly extinct Order, she had accepted the other ways she could find, as long as the Living Force was in agreement.

In this case, it was.

Ahsoka was aware of Kix's medical efforts to boost Padmé's chance of life, but she was mostly questing, seeking that leeching pull to make certain Vader had done his part. When it did not latch on to her life force, Ahsoka nearly trilled a triumphant cry, but that would be too hasty. Instead, she pushed all the energy she could spare into the human woman, willing her to take it, make it her own, and **live**!

She wasn't certain how long she remained locked in the effort to save her friend. When Kix moved her away, breaking contact by physically lifting her away, she hissed and tried to reach again.

"Commander!" Kix's sharp voice snapped her sense of reality back into place, and she looked at the woman. Her skin was still pale (but then, it was Padmé and she never looked healthy to Ahsoka's eyes) but her chest was lifting on its own, and the monitors were all beeping contently at the readings they were getting from her.

"We did it?"

Kix nodded, then breached propriety again to carry her to the nearby medical berth. "Sleep, Ahsoka. You have more than earned it. And I will keep the biters out of here. No one but us should know yet, not until you are conscious again."

"She'll sleep still?"

"I added a mild sedative to enforce that, so she can be brought around gently," he told her.

"Alright." Ahsoka curled on her side, let him cover her with a light blanket, and passed out.


End file.
